Hexagonal table transformable to an alternate shape

ABSTRACT

A hexagonal table transformable to square or other shape by upwardly or downwardly rotating triangular or rounded shaped flap segments to optimize use of available square footage in a restaurant establishment for varieties of room layouts including ells, alcoves, walkways and doors.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS NONE STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Research and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.

REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX

NOT APPLICABLE

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

This invention relates to restaurant establishments, in general, and to an optimization of the available square foot area for dining tables employed therein, in particular.

2. Description of the Related Art

As will be appreciated, restaurant establishments are primarily set up with dining tables of substantially square shape. Able to accommodate up to 4 patrons simultaneously, two of these tables are usually pushed together to serve parties of 5 or 6. Analysis has revealed, however, that aligning such tables together takes up a greater square foot area than if a hexagonally shaped table were utilized instead. Besides also determining that it is more comfortable for the party of 5 or 6 to sit at a hexagonal table, and that it is easier for a wait-staff to serve them from behind (as contrasted with serving them from in front, as with the resulting formed longer table of two pushed together), this analysis also revealed that hexagonally shaped tables are not the best set-up for serving parties of 2, 3 or 4—and, because of the unutilized space taken up. As will be appreciated by those in the restaurant business, then, some intermediate way of arranging tables and in positioning them would be beneficial in optimizing the available space in a given dining location, while still sitting the customers comfortably, and providing easy access to the wait-staff to serve them, graciously from behind.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

As will become clear from the following description, a dining table constructed in accordance with the invention includes a top and a stand for supporting the top on a floor in conventional manner—but with the top being transformable from one of hexagonal shape of six straight edge surfaces to one of alternate shape and/or numbers of edge surfaces via the folding upwardly or downwardly of individual ones of preselected segments thereof. As will be understood, such construction serves to fit the table to a size and configuration accommodating the area where the dining table is to be located. With the individual preselected segments being foldable along locking hinge couplings joining the segments (as by magnetically locking hinges, for example), the hexagonal table can be transformed quite easily to one of square shape for serving parties of up to 4 patrons. Alternatively, and according to the invention, the dining table could similarly and easily be transformed to a dining table of circular shape, to seat 6 or more patrons. Depending upon the room configurations, other embodiments of the invention allow eight-sided tables with straight edges to be set up, or other configurations accommodating different numbers of patrons depending upon table size and positioning. With such choices available, according to the invention, dining tables embodying the invention can be located comfortably in an open area, or pushed-up against a wall, or fitted within corners of a room. With such choices available, maximum usage of a room's square foot area can be utilized, while continuing to seat the individual customers comfortably.

As such, the dining table of the invention will be seen quite different from other forms of table top arrangements described in the prior art—none of which show a hexagonal shaped table with foldable flap, wing or similar sections which allow the formation of a square-shaped table when required, or others of different shape to fit the vagaries of room dimensions and configurations, ells, alcoves, walkways and doors.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in connection with the accompanying Drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view of a conventional hexagonal shaped table as typically found in a restaurant dining establishment; and

FIGS. 2-8 illustrate modifications of such hexagonal shaped table embodying the features of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

FIG. 1 illustratively shows a hexagonal shaped table as used in the prior art—including a top 10 of six straight edge surfaces 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 and 16 supported on a floor 18 by a stand 20. While comfortably sitting up to 6 patrons, and taking up less square footage than do two square-shaped pushed-together tables of comparable size, this prior art table is not generally desirable for sitting only 1, 2, or 3 patrons if other configured tables are available.

FIG. 2 illustratively shows one embodiment of the present invention where the table to serve upon is shown in solid lines, but with four triangular shape segments 22 a, 22 b, 22 c and 22 d coupled by lockable hinges 90 to the sides 16, 12, 13 and 15 to be folded upwardly and then locked to transform the table to one of square shape. Employing, for example, magnetically lockable hinges, the triangular segments 22 b and 22 d, instead, could be folded downwardly in enabling the segments 22 a and 22 c to be pushed flat against a wall in fitting the table to utilize as much as possible of the given room's space. Alternatively, with the triangular segments 22 a and 22 c folded downwardly and with the segments 22 b and 22 d folded upwardly, the table could then be pushed into corner areas of a room, or otherwise, in conforming to its shape. As will be appreciated, the straight edge triangular segments 22 a-22 d can be individually folded upwardly or downwardly in like or different manners depending upon the room square footage or configuration available. As will be appreciated, the triangular segments are illustrated in dotted lines.

In FIG. 3, the preselected segments of the table top are likewise shown in dotted lines, foldable about the straight edge surfaces of the hexagonal top 10 via the hinges 90—but with segments of rounded shape such that if folded upwardly and locked in position, a rounded configuration is given to the table top. Such arrangement allows even more people to sit about the table than if the table were constructed with six straight edge surfaces, of course depending upon the diameter of the resultant table top. In FIG. 3, the individually preselected segments are shown by the reference numerals 24 a-24 f—six segments as contrasted with the four segments of FIG. 2—with the hinges again being shown at 90.

In the configuration of FIG. 4, on the other hand, two individual preselected segments are shown of triangular shape 26 a, 26 b hingeably coupled to the top and bottom straight surfaces 11 and 14 of the hexagonal table top 10—likewise shown in dotted lines. In FIG. 5, on the other hand, two added segments 28 a and 28 b hingeably couple to the straight edge surfaces 11 and 14 to provide rounded individually foldable segments in conforming to the room shape and size. Eight straight sides are shown in FIG. 4 while four straight and two rounded sides are illustrated in FIG. 5 for accommodating the dining patrons, in fitting as many tables as possible in a room to seat comfortably the greatest number of diners.

FIG. 6 represents yet a further embodiment of the invention, where four triangular segments and two rounded segments are added to the six straight edge surfaces of the top 10—each of which is hingeably coupled upwardly or downwardly with the hexagonal surfaces in eventually forming the resulting dining table top arrangement. Again shown in dotted lines, individual one's of these segments could be locked in place upwardly, or folded downwardly to meet the needs of the restauranteur in comfortably seating the dining patrons around his/her table configurations.

FIG. 7 goes one step further, according to the invention, in providing two rounded segments 30 a and 30 b at the straight edge surfaces 11 and 14, while also allowing the straight edge pairs 15, 16 or 12, 13 to be folded and locked in position about the hinges 91. As will be appreciated, with the individual pairs folded downwardly and with the segments 30 a and 30 b folded downwardly as well, a square-shaped configuration for the table results; in the alternative, both pairs 16, 15 and 14, 13 could be folded upwardly to give the hexagonal shape, with either, both, or neither of the segments 30 a, 30 b folded upwardly to lock in similar fashion.

FIG. 8 shows the replacement of the rounded segments 30 a and 30 b of FIG. 7 with triangular segments 32 a, 32 b in yet allowing a further configuration to be given to the resulting table in accommodating the greatest number of patrons in a given room's area and orientation.

As will be seen, through the use of the lockable hinge couplings of the invention and their coupled segments with the six straight edge surfaces of a hexagonal table, the appearance and utilization of the table is transformed to that which allows for optimization in the use of the available square footage where the dining table is to be located. Recognizing that such transformation continues to provide enhanced customer comfort no matter the arrangement of the table design decided upon, a dining table constructed in accordance with the invention gives to the proprietor the greatest latitude in selecting those table configurations and sizes which best fit the available space, angles, curvatures and layouts to meet the safety capacities of the room being filled. In such manner, the invention is of particular attractiveness to the dining establishment.

While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention. 

1. A dining table comprising: a dining top to serve upon; and a stand for supporting said top on a floor; wherein said top is transformable from one of a hexagon of six straight edge surfaces to one of alternate shape and/or numbers of edge surfaces via the folding upwardly or downwardly of individual ones of preselected segments connected thereto along lockable hinge couplings joining said segments with said ton: and wherein said edge surfaces and said preselected segments are of a length, and said preselected segments are of a shape, to adjust the table to fit the particular size and configuration presented by the walls, angles, curvatures and layout of a dining room of fixed contour and dimension in the space where the dining table is to be placed.
 2. (canceled)
 3. The dining table of claim 1 wherein said individual ones of preselected segments are foldable along magnetically lockable hinge couplings joining said segments with said top.
 4. The dining table of claim 1 wherein said top includes six straight edge surfaces denominated as top (T), bottom (B), left sides one and two (L₁ & L₂) and right sides one and two (R₁ & R₂), and wherein said individual ones of preselected segments are of substantially triangular shape individually foldable upwardly to, or downwardly from, edge surf aces L₁, L₂, R₁, and R₂.
 5. The dining table of claim 1 wherein said top includes six straight edge surfaces denominated as top (T), bottom (B), left sides one and two (L₁ & L₂) and right sides one and two (R₁ & R₂), and wherein said individual ones of preselected segments are of substantially rounded shape individually foldable upwardly to or downwardly from, each of said edge surfaces.
 6. The dining table of claim 1 wherein said top includes six straight edge surfaces denominated as top (T), bottom (B), left sides one and two (L₁ & L₂) and right sides one and two (R₁ & R₂), and wherein said individual ones of preselected segments are of substantially triangular shape individually foldable upwardly to, or downwardly from, edge surfaces T and B.
 7. The dining table of claim 1 wherein said top includes six straight edge surfaces denominated as top (T), bottom (B), left sides one and two (L₁& L₂) and right sides one and two (R₁& R₂), and wherein said individual ones of preselected segments are of substantially rounded shape individually foldable upwardly to, or downwardly from, edge surfaces T and B.
 8. The dining table of claim 1 wherein said top includes six straight edge surfaces denominated as top (T), bottom (B), left sides one and two (L₁& L₂) and right sides one and two (R₁& R₂), and wherein said individual ones of preselected segments are of substantially triangular shape individually foldable upwardly to, or downwardly from, edge surfaces L₁, L₂, R₁, and R₂ and of substantially rounded shape individually foldable upwardly to, or downwardly from, edge surfaces T and B.
 9. The dining table of claim 1 wherein said top includes six straight edge surfaces denominated as top (T), bottom (B), left sides one and two (L₁ & L₂) and right sides one and two (R₁ & R₂), and wherein individual ones of said preselected segments individually fold at least one of the pair of said edge surfaces L₁ & L₂ and the pair of said edge surfaces R₁ & R₂ upwardly or downwardly.
 10. The dining table of claim 9 wherein said individual ones of preselected segments additionally include substantially rounded shape segments individually foldable upwardly to, or downwardly from, edge surfaces T and B.
 11. The dining table of claim 9 wherein said individual ones of preselected segments additionally include substantially triangular shape segments individually foldable upwardly to, or downwardly from, edge surfaces T and B. 